Beautiful Sand
by SpazKit
Summary: Off the isle of Bikanel and roughly tumbled from sin, two guardians fight for survival and search for their summoner learning a few things in the proccess. Hurt Comfort, and an interesting relationship between Auron and Rikku.
1. Chapter 1

This will be the first Final Fantasy X piece I will have written in about four years. I hope I still have the spark. Enjoy.

Beautiful Sand

- Rikku -

The current was the first thing I was aware of, eerily reminiscent of the time I washed up next to the moon flow. I took a deep breath, sweet clean beach water filling my senses. It took a moment to open my eyes, the sunlight filtering lazily in from high above, its rays seeming holy to me – I mean, hey, I was still alive.

As I wiggled all fingers and toes, accounting for limbs, I took a moment to consider that this was the third time in all my sixteen and three quarters years that I had come into close contact with sin and survived. It was a tysh miracle. I spun in a lazy circle as I started to head for the surface, and then paused, gaping in disbelief.

I knew where I was. I've seen those rocks before.

I was in the Crimson Bay, about seven miles from home, off the coast of Bikanel. Of all the places!

You might think me excited. I mean, I love home. Home is the best thing since pancakes with strawberries, but Crimson Bay is /not/ where I wanted to be. There was a reason it had its name. There was no place more dangerous because of that… that one tiny mistake we found buried in machina. Not my fault! I'd never even seen it, but it was here… lurking… all the more reason to kick my legs and move it to the beach above.

- Auron -

Oh, Yevon.

…Where am I?

I – I can't breathe- - -

- Rikku -

Don't like it here, don't like it here – want to get to – what is that movement? Ohnoohnoohno oh –

Its Auron!

I swam as fast as I could. He was several dozen feet below the surface still, struggling, it seemed, half conscious. I pumped my legs and felt them burn, but didn't stop until I grabbed his thick red coat and faced him. His eye opened slowly, lazily, not like the stiff guardian at all. And then the god of obliviousness gave me a clue, and I realized he was suffocating. I felt panic take me, and I looked to the surface. It was too far, he'd never make it. I wasn't really thinking – I just acted –

- Auron -

It was getting dark and I wondered why Jecht had chosen to take us, only to kill us beneath the waves. Such a waste, what was he thinking? Maybe Sin had him all now, maybe…

tired…

I felt warm air push its way into my mouth and I sucked greedily. I groped clumsily towards the flitting hope of survival as more sweet air was given to my lungs. Clarity came at last as I realized I was breathing and wasn't descending to a second, meaningless death. I felt soft warmth on my face and fumbled with my hands, the water slowing my movement. The air deprivation and warm liquid made me feel drugged as I struggled to open my eye. My fingers found a hold and I looked forward, trying to focus. The air flow stopped, and I saw the blurry face of the young Al Bhed staring hard at me, her emerald eyes wide with worry, her hands on my neck. She was sucking in water hard, kicking, treading water to keep us from sinking from my lax body weight.

Shaking my head in an attempt to clear the cobwebs away, I started to move, my hands on her waist, my heavy legs and boots swishing. I honestly didn't know how to swim, but I knew I had to help. The girl's face was bright red. She nodded furiously at me as I started to float upwards, and she too began to tread upwards.

A few seconds of the work and I felt exhausted. The girl's small hands tugged at my neck and head, and I felt her soft lips brace my own, giving of her own air to my own starving lungs. My eye closed of its own accord, and for a second she stopped before we exchanged oxygen again. We remained in the warm sea, the water caressing my exposed skin. I felt my body jump start from near unconscious to warm and pleasantly tingly. My eye snapped open. Our noses touched and she opened her eyes.

- Rikku -

Thank the Gods I got to him in time. He is so heavy, I can't – I can't hold us both –

Wake up, wake up! Don't die on me!

I felt his hands flop weakly against my stomach and his stubble twitch against my skin. I rubbed my fingers furiously into the chorded muscle of his neck as I puffed air into him, praying he would come around before it was too late.

He shook his head slowly and started to move his legs. Yes, yes! I grabbed his sides and started to flail furiously, eager to get the hell out of here. I felt a small groan of pain echo through the water and paused. I grabbed at him, thumbs in front of his ears and fingers sinking into thick hair. I was already out of breath, but I sucked in air and put my lips to his. He accepted readily and inhaled from me, and I felt the tingle of lightheadedness warn me to be careful with my air supply. In that moment, the current pushed my body up against his and our noses bumped into each other. My eyes closed as he sucked again, air leaving me faster that I'd like, and then I felt his hands at my waist hold me tighter. He disconnected, and I breathed heavily for a moment, my forehead brushing against his own before I could open my eyes. His eye was piercing, so intense, it seemed outlandish. I blinked, trying to regain my strength, when I heard… it.

- Auron -

She looked disoriented, and instinctively, my hands slid around her waist and I held her stable against me. She blinked rapidly, and it occurred to me that it might be too taxing to provide us both with the air we needed. Suddenly, I felt her body go ridged against mine and her eyes widened. She spun against me, her back to my chest and her hands reaching backwards to grip my sides, as if protecting me from something. I frowned as my guardian instincts took over, peering into the darkening water. I only then realized that my katana was not on me, and I felt obscenely insecure without it.

She twitched and started kicking frantically, pulling at my heavy clothing with increasing intensity. I followed, kicking, this time using my arms. As we swam towards the light, I started to hear a slight clicking noise echo through the water. I looked down and saw nothing but smoothed rocks and dark seawater. Rikku grabbed my chin and yanked my face upwards, this time her breath hastily forced into my mouth. She poked at me and pointed to the nearest rock formation. She waved frantically at it and I nodded, increasing my speed. We were about thirty or so feet away when she suddenly spun around, whipping a grenade out of nowhere. I fumbled in the water, turning, and almost choked from my intake of breath.

A large machina churned towards us, seaweed clinging to its parts. It had the shape of a great undersea monster, swimming proficiently towards us with glowing red eyes. I had no way of fighting, and Rikku seemed to know this, and waved me off. I didn't want to leave her –

And suddenly, a roar pierced my ears and I winced, the horrible sound coming from the underwater machine. Its fins extended and started to aim at us, and Rikku went deathly pale. She spun, launching two grenades in a mix, and put her two feet on my chest. I gaped in confusion, and her eyes – they were pure terror. That moment seemed to stretch, and then, her feet kicked my chest hard, propelling me away. I felt the air escape my lungs in pain as I flew upwards. Angry, I started to stop my ascent. But before I could slow myself, a flurry of motion exploded before Rikku's grenades could reach the beast. From its ancient arms, small objects flew at Rikku, making hissing noises in the water. I watched in horror as they passed right through the girl, leaving trails of blood. She doubled over, and then I was blinded by the explosion of her grenades. The beast howled and sank back into the depths of the water.

When my eye adjusted to the light, I was starting to feel the burn of air loss, but kicked towards her with all my might. I pulled at her shoulders, small tendrils of blood seeping upwards. She reached at me, weak as a day old kitten, and I obliged. Her lips met mine one final time, and a small puff of air entered my mouth, and this time, I tasted blood. It shocked me into movement – not a moment to lose. I scooped her and kicked, kicked hard. Tidus would have been proud of his old stiff.

When I broke the surface, the first breath was paradise, but the blinding sunlight, I did not expect. Yevon, where /where/ we? I coughed and hacked, still blinded, and lifted the girl above the surface. Her head lolled against my shoulder, and I automatically floated onto my back, and started to kick. I twisted, and thanked the fayth – past the rocks, there was beach. And land.

I felt utterly exhausted in ways I had never experienced when I felt my kicking heels bounce against the sand. I sank, sitting unceremoniously in the tide water, breathing heavy, wishing for the hundredth time that being dead freed me from the restraints of the living. Rikku floated above me, only six inches above and I called to her, my abused throat making my voice edgy with panic. She didn't respond, her lax hair drifting lazily in the water. I dug into my pouch, water making me dull and ineffective. I yanked out the strongest potion I had, and sat upwards, the water sucking at my torso. Cradling her head to my chest, I took utmost care not to spill it, and dribbled it into her open mouth. The intense sunlight reflecting off the water made my eye tear, and I struggled to keep my hand steady as I got the last of it into her. She flinched against me before sagging again, still unconscious. I brushed the wet hair out of her eyes and spoke her name again. But she couldn't hear me. I felt for her pulse. Her heart beat fast and furious. I realized I would have to check the damage and do what I could with lesser potions, directly on the wounds.

I looked up, and noted our location for the first time in my panic. We were… in the middle of absolutely nowhere. There was soft sand and the most beautiful color of sea water I had ever seen, the waves splashing against the beach. It was also outrageously /hot/. The salt of the seawater seems to cook on my exposed skin and I realized that not only did I have not a clue where we were, but we were totally exposed and in serious danger.

Despite having never been so fatigued in my life, I hauled myself upward, carrying the young girl. I managed to get us up past the waves, onto the beach, and onto the highest point on the dune. I looked around a felt a churning wave of fear clutch me –

Nothing. Just sand. Lots of sand.

And then, I saw a flash, a glint in the sunlight. My heart lurched into my throat as I sent a broken prayer – Yuna? Kimahri?

I lurched towards the light, my sopping robes and broken girl weighing me down. In our first moment of luck, the glint of light was not far away, only a hundred feet or so. I could still hear the crash of the waves, but now the wind howled in my ears, assaulting my face. I buried myself behind my collar and went forward, steeling my resolve against the elements.

Absolutely out of energy, I fell to my knees. I had not found Yuna, or any other living thing for that matter. I had found a small pile of sand-worn junk and a tarp, waving frantically in the wind. I felt the bitter taste of despair threaten to emerge and I fought it back. This was better than nothing.

Flopping against the hull of what looked like an old canister, I lay down my damp coat, and rested Rikku upon it, covering her exposed face with my sleeve. Panting, I started to feel the contours of the metal, my eyes bleached by the sunlight. I grunted in surprise as my knee sank a foot or two downward. I dug with weary hands, and discovered that there was a small enclave beneath the tarp, protected by worn and broken sheets of abandoned metal. But best of all – there was shade, and protection from the wind.

I forced myself upwards and scooped the fallen Al Bhed into my arms. Still breathing hard, I lay her down upon the sand covered floor of our sanctuary and rested her head on my now wadded up coat. I fumbled with my potions. I took inventory – three potions and an antidote. Fantastic. Moving back to the girl, I started to run my fingers along her abdomen. Thanking Yevon, I saw no damage to her stomach or chest, but she flinched and bucked when I reached her shoulder. I pulled the sticky, salty orange collar aside and felt a gurgle of bile on my throat. The wound was still open though not bleeding, a small hole through the muscle of her neck and shoulder. I pulled the first potion, and started to work the wound. A few minutes later, the wound was closed and cleaned on both sides of her body. She also had wounds on her thigh, and left ankle. I used each potion to a wound, and then sank backwards. Her pulse was relaxed, though she moaned softly, head moving from side to side.

I feared infection – but I would save the antidote if she needed it later. Dazed, I removed my sunglasses and collar, dropping them beside me and scratched at my reddened shoulders. I looked around our residence and found myself wishing I had taken the time to learn some Al Bhed. I knew only a few words – but the design, on that one container, it looks like –

Like a child, I fumbled over to the cylindrical object, and managed to pry it open –

It was bottles of water.

I took a deep, deep drink, the saltless liquid soothing my throat. I then pulled Rikku up against me, and managed to coax some of it into her parched mouth. She made a small noise, and her head fell weakly against my ribs.

And it was only then that the enormity of the situation really hit me.

I had not a clue where my summoner was. I had not a clue where Tidus or the others were. I had no clue where /I/ was. I had lost my weapon. I had an injured girl in my lap with no more potion.

It was overwhelming. It felt like my body just turned to lead. I lay back against the sand, and stared up at the waving of the tarp above us, dancing in the wind. I hadn't really planned on it, but it was at this point, that I believe my body just gave out, and darkness took me.

- Rikku -

Hurts…

… Cold …

My leg was on fire. So was my upper body. Everything hurt. I felt a shiver work its way up me, bringing the sharp sting of pain to the forefront of my mind. Gods, it /hurt/ -

I wondered if I was in the place Yevon told us that we would go – a place of fire and pain. The light above was blood red, seeping through the cracks of some kind of roof, and I felt alone.

I tried to turn myself, but it hurt and I cried out. My cheek brushed something that moved and I gasped, tears of pain leaking out of me. I managed to look up –

Auron was sprawled somewhere above me, though I couldn't see his face. His chest rose and fell in even rhythm, one hand relaxed and palm up near my face.

He survived. Thank the Gods. Yuni needs him.

It hurts…

Auron?

It hurts… so… so cold…

- Auron -

I came to consciousness again slowly, encouraged by something moving against me. I sniffed and brought a numb hand up to rub my eye, when a soft moan brought immediate clarity. I leaned forward and reached blindly, hand touching her in the darkness.

She shivered and whimpered again, and I called her name. Incoherent mumble was my reply, and I started to see the outline of her form as my eye grew adjusted to the darkness. The damp clothing was now freezing against my skin, save where the tiny Al Bhed was curled against my abdomen. I grunted, tearing off my vest and fighting back a shiver, the air now dry and chilled. I could hear the breaking of the water on the beach now that the screaming winds had died down. I thought haphazardly about going out and yelling for help, but then again, I was in no condition to fight fiends.

"A-a-au-r-"

I sat upwards, my muscles stiff. I reached for her, wishing I had /some/ sort of light by which to see.

"I'm here," I rumbled in the darkness, touching her shoulder.

"H-hh-h-o-" she stuttered, quaking now. Mindful of her shoulder, I managed to get the girl upright, resting her unwounded shoulder and head against me. I stiffened at the contact, its presence alien against my bare chest. One, two small fingers brushed against my sternum as she struggled to speak.

"H-Hooome," She whispered, breath hot and fast against my neck.

A spark of hope sprang to life in my chest. "You know where we are?" I asked.

She nodded and then gasped, wincing.

"B-b-b ag?"

I frowned, confused-

"Pouc-ch, on m-my leg-"

Eye widening at my ineptness at not thinking of this earlier, I used my right hand to keep her steady against me and fumbled with the clasp on her leg pouch with my left. She gasped in pain as I grazed her wound, and I squeezed her side in silent apology. Light spilled out from the bag, and I recognized a fire gem, glowing softly in the darkness. I pulled it out and rested it between our stomach's, the stone casting a soft orange glow in the small enclosure.

"M-more," she breathed, practically panting in pain now.


	2. Chapter 2

Its rather odd that my document cut out in the middle of the chapter. My apologies – there was more too it, har har.

Thanks kindly for your reading.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

"M-more," she breathed, practically panting in pain now.

I praised Yevon when my fingers wrapped themselves on a small vial. Pulling it out, I lifted it to my chest, and she used her good arm and hand to paw at it, with ever decreasing strength. I opened it with my hands, clasped around her, and brought it to her lips. The light of the gem cast shadows and light through the glass vial as I tipped the liquid to her lips. The smell was revolting, as the taste had to be, but she sucked eagerly on the medicine. I felt her go limp against me, her breaths slowing.

"Rikku-" I whispered, setting the empty vial aside. She didn't respond, her chest rising and falling evenly against my side, the damp of her shirt warmed by our combined body heat. I reached to her, touching her brow. Still no response. I sighed, frustrated. I took small comfort knowing that maybe she knew our location – if she did, we were a lot better off that I'd originally feared. But it seemed I would have to wait on that information. The Al Bhed girl now rested heavily, but without pain. She would be alright now.

Using the gem, I lifted it into my free hand and used it to take proper inventory of our surroundings. The small enclave was only ten feet wide or so, and about the same length deep. There seemed to be some kind of locker next to them, the same place I'd seen the canisters of water. I twisted myself slightly, with no sound of discontent from the girl, and opened the remaining cargo hold. I felt a small smirk tug my lips in victory. Dusty, but usable – a brightly colored cotton throw was wadded up in the leftmost part of the chamber, along with a well worn and hole-filled tunic. Miscellaneous machina tools hung on a decaying rack, labeled in words I couldn't understand.

Carefully, I pulled the textiles out of the ancient and sand filled cabinet. I balled up the tunic and rested it behind my head, and pulled the blanket over Rikku. I grimaced with distaste as the scent of oil permeated me from the tunic, but the smell went away a few moments later. I leaned back against the metal corner of the makeshift shelter, the girl's nose pressing into my neck as our center of gravity changed.

I might have fallen asleep had I not heard a low grumble outside. Eye snapping open, I thought fast, and took the exposed gem, plunging it into darkness. Stupid! Nice calling card for fiends, old man! I hissed at myself. Rikku did not stir, the potion keeping her deeply asleep. I brought her to the floor, resting her soft bob of blond hair on the tunic, and glanced to the entrance of our hiding place. I grabbed one of the machina tools – it looked to be sharp, at least, and crept slowly out of the shelter.

In the darkness, I could see the large, ominous shape of a fiend, its form outlined in the moonlight. Cursing to myself, I crouched low, fumbling with my pouch. I pulled out a few worthless trinkets I'd acquired here or there, and slowly made my way closer to the fiend.

Now only a few feet from the water, I waited… waited until its back was to me as it sniffed the ground. I stood quickly and threw the metal objects as far as I could, into the waves. They made splashing noises, the thunder-enhanced charm fizzling as it hit the water. The fiend growled, and tore after the noise, away from me. I watched it for some time, shivering as the cold night air lapped at my bare chest. After a half hour or so, the fiend's outline faded into the night, going the opposite direction. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Thoroughly cold, I made haste back to Rikku. With no moonlight, I was effectively blind, and pawed at the darkness. My hand found the girl's bare ankle – she had removed her tall, probably still soggy boots. She made a soft noise to my right, and I crawled towards her.

"Rikku?" I asked quietly.

"Mm," she moaned, voice heavy and thick, her teeth chattering slightly. I wanted to ask her what she knew of our location as I lay myself beside her and faced her, on my side, but she turned towards me and reached out one dainty hand, a finger coming to my cheek and lips. I froze. Her sleepy hand slid from my face down to my bare shoulder. There was the sound of sand shifting, and I was assaulted by sweet warmth as she pulled herself to me. She wiggled close, her brow pressing itself to my collar bone.

"C-cold, Aur…" she murmured, slurring into a deep breath. I swallowed, and held still, hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. After a few moments, my sore and stiff muscles demanded relaxation. I eased onto my back, the sleeping girl curling herself to the hollow of my side. I pulled the blanket onto us both and took a moment to revel in the alien warmth that had befallen me. It had been a long, long time since I'd been in a situation where soft skin rested against me as a comfortable weight. The last time I could even remember close contact was completely platonic even – it had been a hard day in Gagazet – trying, emotionally draining and just plain exhausting. I had sat and mused against a cold stone wall, trying to come up with a way to save Braska, and woken up sometime later to my face pressing to the soft of his robes, and Jecht snoring against my unused shoulder.

I shook my head quickly, jaw accidentally knocking Rikku's brow. She didn't say anything though, and just resumed deep, even breathing.

Now is not the time to be comfortable, I reminded myself bitterly. You have no idea what has befallen your summoner or your charge. I ground my teeth, feeling anger and the sting of embarrassment and disappointment flood my veins.

"…arun'…"

My arm tightened around the girl, an unconscious action to the soft word.

"Yes?" I asked softly, voice monotone even to my own ears.

"…jst'… listn…"

I frowned. "Listen to what?"

She didn't respond, save for her hand sliding up to rest on my chest. I glanced down at the small fingers that protruded from the blanket now, and swallowed some strange unwanted emotion down my throat.

I paused, and I did listen – and at first I didn't hear anything that I expected, like, a fiend coming to kill us or the soft voice of my summoner finding us. But I kept listening and I heard –

The rhythmic crashing of the waves on the beach, the soft breathing of the girl, and the soft flapping of the canvas tarp above us. My mind stilled and I felt my muscles relax. I vaguely registered my chin falling to rest on her brow, but that was the last thing I felt. The sound of the waves lulled me to rest. I wonder how she knew that they would?


End file.
